H.M.S. 'DRAKE' (1822) AND ' RALEIGH ' (1922).
[To THE EDITOR OF ME " SPECTATOR.")
Sm,—The lamentable loss of our fine light cruiser of late is curiously paralleled by the fate of another ship of war, named after another Eizabethan worthy and admiral, which occurred 100 years ago in the same latitudes ofi the coast of Newfoundland. The 'Drake,' with a complement of 200 men, was commanded by my uncle, Charles Baker, a young post-captain of thirty years of age. She went on the rocks in a dense fog in bad weather, and at once began to break up. Some lives were lost, as in the case of the ' Raleigh,' in the effort of getting a line ashore, and then by slow degrees the crew got safely to the rocks; but at last the rope gave way, leaving only the captain on board, who stayed by the vessel till all were saved. The Admiralty of the day erected a tablet to his memory in the chancel of the dockyard chapel at Portsmouth, recording his services and devotion to duty. He was one of three young brothers who all lost their lives in the service of the King's Navy. It seems a pity that names such as these ships have should be allowed to die out, as is often the case, and not be renewed in fleets of the future. Is it because lack is super- stitious with regard to the names of ships lost at seal—I am.
Previous page
